Images are used and stored for a variety of purposes. For example, many people use photographic images to provide a visual remembrance of people, places, objects, or events in their personal or business associations. In other examples, photographic images may be used to provide evidence of an event or to illustrate a presentation. Fabricated images, such as logos and computer artwork, are also used for a variety of commercial and personal ends.
With the modern prevalence of personal computers and digital media, many people choose to store personal photos and other images digitally using media such as hard drives, flash drives, optical disks, and online storage services. While a digital file can conveniently preserve original image data and metadata of an image, the inherent physical characteristics of the physical media used to store digital files or other hardware failures may introduce errors or corruption into the digital file over time. For example, digital data stored on a magnetic hard disk or an optical disk may have a reliable lifespan of as few as 5-6 years. Other potential detrimental issues in digital image storage include, but are not limited to, system or file format obsolescence, viruses, natural disasters, theft and simply user errors. As such, combating digital image loss is typically a proactive effort which requires explicit, costly, and often time consuming actions on a regular basis.
One alternative to the digital storage of images is that of analog storage of the images on a physical medium. For example, analog storage of an image may include a printed copy of the image on a paper substrate. Printed analog images may be directly viewed and enjoyed by the image owner without a computer or other display device. Moreover, analog images may be converted into digital images through scanning and/or photographic methods, thereby making analog images a viable form of backup storage for digital images. However, printed images are generally susceptible to the detrimental effects of aging. Particularly, the inks used to print analog images may break down chemically with exposure to light, environmental contaminants and the passage of time, resulting in fading and color loss.
Throughout the drawings, identical reference numbers designate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements.